Pune: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday directed the tree authority of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to take action on a case of illegal tree felling at the divider of National Highway-65 from Kodipat Toll Plaza to Hadapsar . This direction was given during hearing of two applications made by Nitin Kolte, a social activist, who was given permission by NHAI to plant trees at the divider, but 15 of them were illegally cut. Nitin Kolte had received permission from the National Highway Authority vide letter dated 27 December 2017 for stage-wise tree plantation between the divider from Kodipat Toll Plaza to Hadapsar.
The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, after being directed by the tribunal on May 31, conducted a joint inspection and found 15 trees had been illegally cut. The board then sent a notice to the tree authority of Pune Municipal Corporation on July 18 to take appropriate action on the matter. The bench of Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh and expert member Vijay Kulkarni then directed for impleading the tree authority as a respondent and a notice to be sent to the department, returnable within four weeks.
Kolte also had complained to the Hadapsar police station on April 12 about the activity. But the police inspector failed to appear before the tribunal, leading to a notice served to the police commissioner about the inspector’s conduct. Kolte also stated he had lodged a complaint with the Hadapsar police station regarding cutting of 40 trees in Phursu.